Ye Olde Whyte Lyon
Locksbottom, BR6 8NE Public House – built 1626 Shepherd Neame Brewery..

We had the lovely band, Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces. The wonderful thing about trombone player Bob is he loves to differ his program and sings some great songs. The band had super trumpeter, Mike ‘Magic’ Henry. It is not surprising that Mike was one of the trumpeters chosen by the great Chris Barber to play for his World-famous ‘Jazz and Blues Band’. Yep – he hit that incredible top ‘C’ note! Even the non-jazzers Club Members, who usually stay at the bar, came to listen to one of his solos and some of them actually stayed on. Paula Jackman played both clarinet and tenor sax, along side of Mike, superbly. Graham Collicott, our lovely ol’ pal, who tries so hard to play drums as good as Keith!!!! I’m only joking, he is actually just a bit better than Keith, ha ha. Chris Newman was on Piano, who kindly filled in for Hugh Crozier, had such wonderful lyrical sound. Someone requested a solo of ‘Baltimore Todolo’ a ragtime number, (giving the guys a break) just a real treat. Finally, I must mention Steve Smith, who played lovely double bass. He also filled in at the last minute. We have known him for some years, so we knew he was very capable of doing a fantastic job and would be unfazed. (He was with the ‘Mardi Gras JazzBand’ two weeks ago).
With a line-up like that, It was sure to be a winner.
Diane & Keith
Farnborough Jazz, Kent
‘Baltimore Todolo’ was composed byJames Hubert ‘Eubie’ Blake (1910)
Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces are playing on Sunday, 19June2022 2pm-5pm here at Farnborough Jazz. Bob, who plays trombone, has booked to play with him, ‘Magic Mike’ Henry on trumpet (I know it’s Mike ‘Magic’, but I like it), Paula Jackson on clarinet, Steve Smith on double bass, Graham Collicott on drums and Chris Newman on piano, (Chris was with us a while back, 2015 to be precise (when we were next door) – fares from GOSPORT, Hampshire, where he is on the Committee of the Gosport Jazz Club. What a distant to travel aye, makes even our Ken’s ‘short’ journey from Brighton to our club seem easy ha ha. Bob started off this year for us, being an old friend and so it goes without saying it’ll be a good one, so don’t be scared – just get there! We have to get you out of yourselves and back into our way (please). It always takes a new place time to appear ‘normal’. We are slowly gaining new young people, so it would also be nice to see our ‘old friends’ loyally supporting us, before there is no room for you.
(I still promise not to kiss you – well maybe Keith wont promise).
Diane – and Keith
Bob Dwyer, trombonist & singer of ‘Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces’ at Farnborough Jazz Club on 30th January 2015. Photo by Mike Witt.
Graham Collicotte plays drums with Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces at
Farnborough Jazz Club on 29th January 2016. Photo by Mike Witt.
We had a lovely audience for Mardi Gras JazzBand on Platinum Jubilee Sunday (5th June 2022). The band members worked hard themselves, mustering up a few friends. Plus a few of our own friends, some young people, who had often seen Keith’s posters and decided to come, plus old friends who bought extra raffle prizes that certainly added to the fun, due to me still trying to work the raffle machine (you had to be there to understand). Rob’s guys were brilliant, somehow there was a difference between how they sounded in the past. Keith and I both felt it. Was it because of the long Covid lock-downs? Were they all forced to practice more? I don’t mean they were bad before, I just noticed a certain relaxed beautiful togetherness. Please take that as a wonderful compliment guys. I loved the fact that the Social Club members all popped in to say what a great band, some remaining to watch.
Diane and Keith
FARNBOROUGH JAZZ – 2022
Each first & third Sunday Monthly (2–5)
At FARNBOROUGH SOCIAL CLUB, KENT
SUNDAY AFTERNOON 5th JUNE 2022
WE WILL BE CELEBRATING
OUR HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II’s
OWN PLATINUM JUBILEE
WITH MUSIC FROM
MARDI GRAS JAZZ BAND
Presented by
ROB PEARCE – trombone
LEIGH HENSON – trumpet
JOHN ELMER – reeds
RICHARD SIMMONS – piano
STEVE SMITH – d bass
PAUL BAKER – drums
Mardi Gras Jazzband .show off their crazy socks at the request of Diane at Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent 1st March 2019. L2R Pete Clancy, John Ellmer, Leigh Henson, Rob Pearce, Paul Baker and John Stewart. Photo by Mike Witt.
ENJOYING THE TASTE OF
NEW ORLEANS‘ FUN
(19jun2022
BOB DWYER’S BITS & PIECES)
We have not had any firm Internet for such a long time, because of a perished Cable, so we don’t know who has heard from us, or if you have sent to us. We received the replaced Cable back in 28April2022, but the use of private Wi-Fi, only returned to us this Wednesday, 18May2022. So I have lots to catch up on and very little energy! I rested yesterday and today, we are going out for a long drink!!!
Alan Cresswell plays clarinet, accompanied by leader Kevin Scott of Golden Eagle Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on 17th June 2016. Photographed by Mike Witt.
I hope you will pass this information onto others, as I am still in problems with extreme lack of Wi-Fi. I am unable to reach people (by phone or email) to tell everyone that the ‘Golden Eagle Jazz Band’ are at Farnborough Social Club in Kent on Sunday, 15May2022, 2:00-5:00pm. I’m not even sure who will be playing, but I expect to have band leader golden boy himself, banjoist Kevin Scott and clarinetist Alan Cresswell. If I am able to phone Kevin, or he tries to call me and says who is playing with him before Sunday, I will try my hardest to let you know. We are relying on everyone to try to support us anyway they can. With discovering that the Cable had perished, it was no wonder that no-one knew we had started up again, that we were so empty!
Even this website has given so much trouble.
Diane & Keith
Keith and I enjoyed seeing everyone who turned up to show their appreciation of ‘Tim Huskisson & Friends’. They were rewarded with a lovely afternoon of happy music.
Tim Huskisson (clarinet), Peter Rudeforth (trumpet) and Roger Curphy (dbl bass) plus uncaptured – Chris Gower (trmbn), Paul Seal (gtr/bnjo) & Rod Brown (drms) with ‘Tim Huskisson’s Friends’ at Farnborough JC Sunday afternoon 1May2022. Photo by Alan Walker
(work in progress – Photos to follow by Alan Walker) I am confident that more of you would have joined us, if it hadn’t been for te fact that Sunday was Mayday Weekend and that you had made family dates. But more so, for the fact that we were out of action for two weeks at home. The underground Cable providing us with Wi-Fi, was eventually found to be perished. Virgin did a brilliant job replacing it, although it’s not perfect yet – still not problem-free. It was actually 35yr’s ago that it was provided by Nynex. When one thinks, it lasted pretty well, but no wonder it caused me so much trouble over these recent years. It came to my knowledge just yesterday, that since September 2021, several of you had not received my emails, telling you when, where and who was on. You needed to know which Sunday in particular. There I was, needlessly worrying that you were being irritated by my sending too many emails!
Anyway, back to you, Tim, Peter, Chris, Paul, Rod and Roger, thank you for giving us so much fun with your talent. It’s got to have been absolutely dreadful for you not being able to play in front of an audience during those last two+ Covid years, as it was for us too. It was such a long time, wasn’t it. Thank goodness we are through all the worst of it. Many of you are still afraid to come out, but it will do you all the world of good (especially all who have had their inoculations), to get back to normality. Music is so good for the soul and will bring back our ‘youth’. Many clubs have sadly closed, but many have like us, although cannot afford to, are trying to shouldered our losses. Our wonderfully talented musicians have also taken the drop in money and play for long hours, cope with travel costs both ways and because of less places open, sometimes go days without earning anything too, Some musicians have given up (on their years of learning) and doing other things, which is a great loss to the world. Things look pretty miserable for everyone at the moment, but with a little bit of extra support by all of us collectively, they will survive and we can all enjoy ourselves. We have all lost family and friends throughout this and I, from past experience, survived through music and laughter.
If you make it out to Farnborough, I promise not to kiss you (unless you two want to!). By the way, one little bit more info, A sense of humour goes a long way to making you feel better. too.
About last Sunday, Keith and I were taken aback, when they played our tune (which many of you know about). We shouldn’t have been so surprised, because Tim and Peter learnt and played it with Bob Dwyer in own band (Bob previously learnt it for me to sing to). The song being ‘Nice to Know you Care’, a No: 1 hit in the 50’s, written by our ol’ friend Lesley Baguley (see tribute Page above about him). The only trouble, Keith was unable to dance – dodgy leg – lack of dancing for such a long time – maybe next time!
Our own afternoon carried on till much later than 5:00pm (as you can guess). Just a little story to finish. What makes me believe jazz will carry on till long after we have ‘gone’! First of all, advertisers are using jazz, I know, probably not having to pay copy-rite, much enjoyed by football crowds. But secondly, this little story for you. Keith and I sit enjoying a drink (or three) with a DVD playing. A young couple plus their 3½yr old son, arrived at the club, visiting their dad. The little lad began dancing to our music. Oh, he was amazing, such a natural talent a star already. He just ‘performed’ and didn’t want to stop. The DVD was ‘Temperance Seven’ (with another dear friend of ours, Mac White , paying clarinet). Apparently, this little lad enjoyed music, according to his parents, not with this enthusiasm. I hope they comes back (as they said), maybe I will ask mum if she will let us put the little bit of videoing she did, copy it and be able to published here.
Now I know you were unaware, we were Every third and third Sunday, we can now look forward to seeing you up and dancing here to the Golden Eagle Jazz Band, Sunday, 15th May Sunday.
Keep music ‘Live’ – especially Jazz.
Cheers from Diane and Keith.
………..Pete Rudeforth returns 3july2022 with ‘Barry Palser’s Savoy Jazz’